Indiana Pacers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pacers Release James Wiseman

December 26th, 2025 at 2:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Pacers have cut center James Wiseman in addition to officially signing of Micah Potter and waiving Garrison Mathews, the team announced in a press release.

After playing one game for the team in late October, Wiseman rejoined the Pacers on December 20, signing a 10-day contract via a hardship exception. ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (via Twitter) that Wiseman’s 10-day contract was terminated, which requires no waiver process but allows the big man to earn the full amount from the contract.

Wiseman suited up in three contests for Indiana after signing with them last week, averaging 13.0 minutes per game and scoring nine total points.

The former No. 2 overall pick in 2020 signed with the Pacers last season but only played five minutes before tearing his Achilles and missing the rest of the season. Still just 24 years old, he holds career averages of 9.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 18.8 minutes per night.

Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star notes (via Twitter) that the Pacers are not getting another hardship exception at the moment. The banged-up team has made seven hardship signings already this season but may no longer be eligible if Aaron Nesmith (knee) and Ben Sheppard (calf) are getting close to returning from their respective injuries.

Pacers Sign Micah Potter, Waive Garrison Mathews

December 26th, 2025 at 11:57am CST by Arthur Hill

11:57 am: The Pacers have officially signed Potter and waived Mathews, the team confirmed in a press release. As we relayed in another story, Wiseman was also released from his 10-day contract.

10:06 am: Free agent big man Micah Potter will sign a non-guaranteed contract with the Pacers, according to Tony East of Forbes (Twitter link). Garrison Mathews will be waived to create a roster opening, sources tell East.

Indiana needs Potter, a 6’9″ power forward/center because Isaiah Jackson is sidelined with a concussion and Tony Bradley is limited due to a thumb fracture, East adds. James Wiseman is nearing the end of the 10-day hardship contract he signed last Saturday.

Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star confirms the moves (via Twitter) and states that the Pacers won’t be granted another hardship exception at this time. A league source tells Dopirak that Potter’s contract will cover the rest of the season and will include a team option for next year (Twitter link).

Potter, 27, began his career with Detroit during the 2021/22 season and spent the past three years in Utah on a two-way contract. He has appeared in 64 total games with career averages of 4.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in 18.6 minutes per night.

Potter signed a training camp deal with San Antonio in August, but was waived before the start of the season. He’s currently with the team’s Austin affiliate in the G League, averaging 15.6 points and 9.6 rebounds in 13 games.

Mathews came to Indiana in November on a pair of 10-day hardship deals and was given a standard contract after they expired. That deal was non-guaranteed, so the Pacers won’t be on the hook for any more money once Mathews is officially released.

The 29-year-old shooting specialist appeared in 15 games during his time with Indiana, scoring 5.2 points in 13.1 minutes per night while shooting 40.4% from the field and 37% from three-point range.

Pascal Siakam: Constant Losing ‘Not Fun To Be Around’

December 24th, 2025 at 4:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

The frustrations of losing are starting to boil over for the Pacers, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. T.J. McConnell questioned the team’s effort following Saturday’s loss to New Orleans, and Pascal Siakam delivered a more intense version of that message after Tuesday’s 17-point defeat against Milwaukee. Siakam spoke for nine minutes about the various shortcomings that led to a sixth straight loss and a 6-24 record.

“We just didn’t play with any pace, any determination,” he said. “It looked out there like we were just jacking shots sometimes. We played with no force. We just didn’t have it. It’s hard to evaluate our offense because it just looked like we didn’t try hard enough. … It doesn’t look like we have any pace or any pep to anything that we’re doing. We just look slow. There’s no energy. It’s not fun to be around.”

It’s only been six months since the Pacers came within a game of winning their first NBA title, and their sudden nosedive is likely temporary. It began when star guard Tyrese Haliburton suffered an Achilles tear in Game 7 of the Finals and has continued amid a long string of injuries dating back to the start of the season. Indiana has struggled to field a competitive roster, signing Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Garrison Mathews, Gabe McGlothan and James Wiseman to hardship contracts over the past six weeks.

Haliburton is expected to make a full recovery by the start of next season, most of last year’s playoff roster is still in place, and the Pacers seem headed for a top pick in the draft. The team is well-positioned to return to contention quickly, but that provides little solace for Siakam right now.

“I really care about it and I hate, I hate, I hate losing, so it’s not fun,” he said. “It’s hard. I don’t think I’ve been the happiest. Maybe I have to fix it. I don’t look good out there most of the time, just because I can’t stand it. It drives me crazy. I’m trying to find solutions. I’m trying to get better. I’m trying to take it out, but it dictates my attitude and the way I am.”

Dopirak points out that the idea of tanking for one season isn’t as simple as fans tend to believe. The constant losing takes a toll on the players, and their natural competitiveness begins to wane. Siakam referenced that on Tuesday, saying he’s seeing less urgency from the roster to turn the season around. A play-in spot already seems out of reach, and it’s better for the Pacers in the long run to finish as close to the bottom as possible to maximize their lottery chances.

Siakam added that he still does intensive film study and constantly thinks about how he can improve. He declined to say whether his teammates are showing that same level of commitment, adding that the record speaks for itself.

“I don’t know,” he said. “The product isn’t good. We’re losing games. We have to figure it out. We all have to ask ourselves, ‘What can we do?’ Everyone has to come in wanting to make a change.”

Central Notes: Atkinson, Cavs, I. Jackson, P. Williams, Rollins

December 23rd, 2025 at 12:50pm CST by Luke Adams

While no one in the Cavaliers‘ organization is thrilled by the fact that the team has already lost nearly as many games this season (14) as it did last season (18), Kenny Atkinson‘s job is in no imminent danger, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

One recent report cited “rumbles in coaching circles” that Atkinson’s job was becoming less safe, while another suggested there have been “internal questions” about his leadership. But sources tell Vardon that Atkinson isn’t on the hot seat at this point.

The Cavaliers also aren’t on the verge of making significant changes to their roster, Vardon continues, since the front office still wants to see what the team looks like when all of its usual starters are on the court together. That hasn’t yet happened this season, with Max Strus out since August due to foot surgery and several other players having missed time due to injuries as well.

Although Vardon describes executives, coaches, and players as being “upset” by the way the Cavs have played in recent weeks, he also suggests management is willing to be patient, reporting that the team has declined at least two recent trade offers for rotation players.

We have more from around the Central:

Pacers center Isaiah Jackson has been ruled out for Tuesday’s game vs. Milwaukee due to a concussion, and head coach Rick Carlisle wants the NBA to take a look at the play that caused the injury, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Jackson appeared to get hit by a swinging elbow from Celtics center Neemias Queta multiple times on the same possession (Twitter video link via Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files). “It was a play that I felt should have been looked at in real time,” Carlisle said. “It did not appear to be accidental. It’s very dangerous. And I don’t know how long he’s going to be out. It’s pretty serious. … It just can’t be missed. That’s all.”
After averaging 21.2 minutes per night through his first 24 games of the season, forward Patrick Williams has played just 25 total minutes in his past three outings, all Bulls wins. While the former No. 4 overall pick has slipped down the depth chart, head coach Billy Donovan said that Williams’ reduced role isn’t necessarily permanent, per Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune (subscription required). “At some point, there’s going to have to be a level of sacrifice by everybody,” Donovan said. “I wouldn’t sit there and say that in my mind, okay, he’s just the 11th guy and that’s it. I don’t know what’s going to happen with our team going forward. But I do think Patrick can help.”
In a recent interview with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Bucks guard Ryan Rollins discussed playing for head coach Doc Rivers, vying for this season’s Most Improved Player award, learning from Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo, and what it felt like to sign a three-year, $12MM contract as a free agent over the summer. “It was a blessing. That’s my first real contract,” Rollins said of the new deal. “I’m grateful for my family to be able to witness that and be inspired and motivated by that. It was great. There’s a lot more to get, so I’m not content at all. I’m still going to be greedy and get more, which I deserve, so there’s a lot more work to do.”

Cavaliers Rumors: Allen, Trade Candidates, Atkinson, J. Bryant

December 22nd, 2025 at 10:49pm CST by Rory Maher

Even after bouncing back with a seven-point win over Charlotte on Monday, the Cavaliers have been one of the more disappointing teams in the NBA to open the 2025/26 campaign, currently holding a 16-14 record after going 64-18 last year. Owner Dan Gilbert is said to be “very unhappy” with the state of affairs in Cleveland, and there’s a rising sense of urgency to turn things around.

Despite the situation looking pretty bleak at the moment, the Cavaliers have reportedly yet to entertain the idea of trading Darius Garland or Jarrett Allen, two members of the “core four.”

On Saturday’s Wine and Gold Talk podcast (YouTube link), Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com said the Cavs appear reluctant to part with Allen for many of the same reasons as Garland — he’s been limited by injuries, is having a down season, and they’d likely get pennies on the dollar if they thought about moving him before the deadline. As with Garland, the Cavs also seem to be higher on Allen than opposing teams, which is another factor that can’t be discounted, per Fedor.

The Pacers, Knicks and Raptors are among the Eastern teams looking for help in the middle, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal, but the Cavs would have to be blown away to trade Allen to a conference rival.

“[Allen] has a lot of fans around the NBA, but unless the trade package was just irresistible, it’s hard to see the Cavs being willing to help another team in the East,” one source told Afseth. “Keep that in mind.”

Here are a few more rumors regarding the Cavaliers:

On the same podcast, Fedor identified De’Andre Hunter, Max Strus, Lonzo Ball and Dean Wade as a handful of players on mid-sized salaries who could potentially be traded in the coming weeks if Cleveland’s front office decides against a more drastic overhaul. The issue, Fedor continued, is that Strus has yet to play a game as he continues to recover from offseason foot surgery, and Hunter, Ball and Wade are all struggling in 2025/26. Fedor pointed out that Ball ($10MM team option for ’26/27) and Wade ($6MM expiring contract) could be easier to move than Hunter and Strus, as the latter two make more money and have guaranteed deals next season.
Afseth hears from sources that Wade, who has spent his entire seven-year career in Cleveland, is a name to watch in the coming weeks. The 29-year-old is known as a solid defender and decent three-point shooter (36.0% for his career), but he’s converting just 29.0% of his outside looks through 27 games in ’25/26, which is by far the worst mark of his career.
Marc Stein reported on Sunday that Kenny Atkinson could be on the hot seat in the coming weeks unless the Cavs start winning again despite being named Coach of the Year last season. According to Afseth, there have been “internal questions about Atkinson’s leadership,” and if the Cavs do decide to dismiss him, Donovan Mitchell is said to favor Johnnie Bryant taking over as interim coach. Bryant, who is known to have a close relationship with Mitchell, was a finalist for Phoenix’s head coaching job over the summer — that position went to his former colleague Jordan Ott.

Bickerstaff To Replace Carlisle As NBCA President

December 22nd, 2025 at 7:40pm CST by Rory Maher

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle has been president of the National Basketball Coaches Association since 2005, but he’s stepping down at the end of December, writes Ken Powtak of The Associated Press.

Carlisle said he will be replaced by Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who was selected by union members. A longtime NBA coach, the 46-year-old Bickerstaff currently serves as the NBCA’s vice president/treasurer.

“I guess now might be a good time to announce, I decided about a year ago that this would be my last year,” Carlisle said Monday night before the Pacers played in Boston. “This is my 20th year. My term will end at the end of this month. We’ve held our elections and the membership has made a tremendous and phenomenal choice to succeed me and that’s going to be J.B. Bickerstaff.”

Carlisle spoke glowingly of Bickerstaff, calling him a “trusted friend,” Powtak adds.

“The job he did in Cleveland, taking that team from the lottery to winning in the playoffs was phenomenal. The job he’s done in Detroit the last year and a half speaks for itself. He’s a great leader and passionate guy for coaches. … I congratulate J.B. This will be a life-changing experience for him. It has been for me.”

Carlisle also said he and the NBCA are trying to help Bickerstaff’s father Bernie be nominated to the Hall of Fame as a contributor, according to Powtak. The elder Bickerstaff was an NBA coach for several decades and is now a senior advisor with the Pistons.

Injury Notes: Lakers, Knicks, Daniels, Watson, McConnell

December 22nd, 2025 at 5:33pm CST by Rory Maher

Lakers head coach JJ Redick provided encouraging updates on injured guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves on Monday, tweets Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group.

Doncic, who didn’t play in the second half of Saturday’s loss to the Clippers, has a lower left leg contusion and is considered day-to-day. The 26-year-old had the bruised area taped during the portion of Monday’s practice that was open to the media, Price notes.

Reaves was able to go through portions of Monday’s practice and is also considered day-to-day, Redick said. The fifth-year guard has missed the past three games with a left calf strain the team described as mild.

[UPDATE: Doncic is out Tuesday at Phoenix, but Reaves has been upgraded to questionable, the Lakers announced (Twitter link via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin).]

Starting center Deandre Ayton should return to action on Tuesday, according to Price. Ayton won’t be listed on the team’s injury report after sitting out the past two contests due to a sore left elbow.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

The Knicks will be shorthanded on Tuesday, as Eastern Conference Player of the Week Jalen Brunson (right ankle injury management), defensive ace OG Anunoby (left ankle soreness) and backup big man Guerschon Yabusele (illness) have all been ruled out ahead of the contest at Minnesota, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link). Brunson missed a couple of games in mid-November due to a right ankle sprain.
Reigning Most Improved Player Dyson Daniels has been ruled out of the Hawks‘ rematch with Chicago on Tuesday due to right hip inflammation, according to Brad Rowland of Locked on Hawks (Twitter link). It will be Daniels’ first absence of the 2025/26 campaign. Reserve forward/center Mouhamed Gueye is also on the injury report, having been listed as questionable with a right shoulder sprain.
Nuggets forward Peyton Watson, who was kneed in between the hip and rib areas last Monday, had a minor setback in terms of the pain he’s experiencing from the injury, head coach David Adelman said ahead of Saturday’s loss to Houston (Twitter link via Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette). While Watson has been out most of the past three games with the right trunk contusion, it doesn’t sound like a long-term issue — Adelman said the former first-round pick had a 50% chance to play Saturday before he was ruled out.
Veteran Pacers guard T.J. McConnell will be sidelined for Monday’s game vs. Boston due to left knee soreness, as Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files relays (via Twitter). McConnell missed the first 10 games of the season with a strained hamstring, but had been active for the past 18 contests heading into Monday.

James Wiseman Hopes To Seize Opportunity In NBA Return

December 20th, 2025 at 7:15pm CST by Arthur Hill

James Wiseman admits being devastated when the Pacers decided to waive him in October, and he hopes to make a strong impression as he returns to the team, even if his stay may be temporary, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star.

Wiseman’s latest opportunity comes via the hardship exception, which Indiana used to sign him to a 10-day contract earlier today to provide front court depth. He was immediately placed on the active roster for tonight’s game at New Orleans.

“He’s been in California, working out,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “He’s been finding pickup games out there. We worked him out early this morning. He looks great. He’s not in NBA game shape by any stretch, no one can be, but for somebody in his situation, he’s got the best headstart you can probably have.”

As Dopirak explains, Wiseman was the victim of a numbers crunch that led to his early-season release. He was the starting center October 25 against Memphis, marking his first game since tearing his Achilles tendon on opening night of the 2024/25 season, but the Pacers needed to open a roster spot to sign a guard after Andrew Nembhard, T.J. McConnell and Bennedict Mathurin all got hurt. They couldn’t afford the luxury of keeping four centers on the roster and decided to part with Wiseman.

He flew back to Indianapolis after receiving the news and talked with family members to work out his future.

“As soon as it happened, my mom came down, my family came down,” Wiseman said. “I was able to grieve for a little bit. Get that out. You can’t suppress that type of stuff. But as soon as I landed I got in the weight room and used all my anger and kind of worked out. Just trying to get all that out. I just kept working ever since then. I haven’t stopped.”

His relentless training took him to Irvine, California, where he played in pickup games over the past three weeks. His chance to return to the league came when backup center Tony Bradley suffered a fracture on the tip of his thumb. This time Indiana needed help in the middle, and Wiseman got a call on Thursday to meet the team in New Orleans.

Dopirak notes that Wiseman may not see much playing time over the next 10 days, as Jay Huff and Isaiah Jackson handle the bulk of center minutes. Bradley believes he’ll be able to play with a splint on his thumb, even though it limits his ability to shoot and handle the ball.

Wiseman indicated that he’ll be grateful for any playing time he gets, along with the chance to prove to the Pacers and any other teams who may be watching that he’s still worthy of a roster spot.

“I motivated myself knowing there was going to be another way around,” Wiseman said. “So you just gotta keep working and stay ready. … I’m gonna go out there and play my (expletive) hardest. Leave it all out there on the floor. Whatever they want me to do I’m gonna do it. Still enjoy it at the same time and go out there and just play.”

Injury Notes: Poeltl, Barrett, Dante, Sixers, Bradley, Brown

December 20th, 2025 at 5:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Raptors center Jakob Poeltl, who has been dealing with a back issue this season, will miss a second straight game on Saturday as Toronto hosts the Celtics, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca.

“We have a long-term plan for him,” head coach Darko Rajakovic said, “which consists of managing this injury and which consists of building his strength, which consists of him playing through a certain level of discomfort.

“But we’re not concerned at all. It’s just something that we are dealing (with) in the middle of the season. If we were in the offseason and you shut him down for two weeks, he would be completely fine, but it’s something we’re really trying to manage day to day. At this point, it’s not to that point that we just need to shut him down. It’s not that serious.”

Meanwhile, Raptors forward RJ Barrett will miss a 12th consecutive game on Saturday due to his right knee sprain, but he’s making progress toward a return. According to Grange (Twitter link), Barrett has resumed on-court activities. The plan is for him to do live work against coaches in the coming days, then participate in practice and scrimmage with teammates.

Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

Hawks center N’Faly Dante may have sustained a serious knee injury while playing in the G League for the College Park Skyhawks on Friday. According to John Hollinger (Bluesky links), Dante was in significant pain after awkwardly twisting his right knee following a rebound and had to be carried off the court. It was the big man’s first game since he entered the concussion protocol on December 2, tweets Kevin Chouinard of Hawks.com.
Sixers center Joel Embiid (illness and right knee injury management) will miss a second consecutive game on Saturday vs. Dallas, while forward Paul George (left knee injury management) has also been ruled out, tweets Marc Stein. George hasn’t played both ends of a back-to-back set yet this season, so his absence comes as no surprise after he suited up for Friday’s win over New York.
Pacers center Tony Bradley suffered a fracture on the tip of his thumb, according to head coach Rick Carlisle, who referred to the thumb as “partially functional” with a splint on it, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (Twitter links). While it sounds like Bradley will remain active, the decision to sign James Wiseman to a 10-day contract was directly related to that injury, Carlisle said (Twitter link via Dopirak). While Wiseman will give the team some additional depth, he’s probably not in NBA game shape quite yet, Carlisle admitted.
The Celtics will be without top scorer Jaylen Brown when they take on the Raptors on Saturday night. Brown, who played in 26 of Boston’s first 27 games, has been ruled out due to an illness, per the team (Twitter link).

Pacers Bring Back James Wiseman On 10-Day Deal

December 20th, 2025 at 1:32pm CST by Rory Maher

The Pacers have re-signed center James Wiseman to a 10-day contract via a hardship exception, the team announced in a press release. Indiana ended Gabe McGlothan‘s 10-day hardship deal after just four days in order to bring back Wiseman.

Wiseman, who will be active for Saturday’s game in New Orleans, was released by the Pacers about a week into the 2025/26 regular season amid a wave of backcourt injuries. He had re-signed with Indiana over the summer on a two-year, minimum-salary deal that featured a $1MM partial guarantee (the second season was a team option).

The second overall pick of the 2020 draft, Wiseman has dealt with multiple major injuries during his NBA career, having missed the entire 2021/22 campaign following knee surgery. The 24-year-old also tore his Achilles tendon in Indiana’s regular season opener in October 2024, an injury which sidelined him for the remainder of ’24/25.

In 149 games with Golden State, Detroit and Indiana, Wiseman has averaged 9.1 points and 5.6 rebounds in 18.9 minutes per contest.

While the Pacers have been ravaged by injuries to open ’25/26, their three centers (Jay Huff, Isaiah Jackson and Tony Bradley) have been active for every game to this point, observes Tony East of Circle City Spin (Twitter links).

However, that may change on Saturday, as Bradley has been diagnosed with a fractured right thumb and is considered questionable to suit up against the Pelicans. The addition of Wiseman could mean Bradley will miss some time with the injury, East notes.

McGlothan didn’t play at all in his only game on the Pacers’ active roster, but will still receive his full 10-day salary of $73,153.